Questions and answers

What is Shoes With Heart?

Shoes With Heart is a Funds2Orgs brand. Shoes With Heart is a social enterprise. It works with churches, nonprofits, schools and others to help them achieve fundraising success with shoe drive fundraisers.

What does re-purpose mean?

It means to give a new life and purpose to something. With Shoes With Heart, shoes collected in North America are re-purposed when they are shipped to micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations.

What do we do when we receive shoes from people to our shoe drive fundraiser?

You have to tie the shoes together or rubber band them so they remain in pairs. Place 25 pairs of rubber banded shoes into the 33-gallon bags provided by Shoes With Heart in the Starter Kit. Each bag should always have 25 pairs.

Why do we have to rubber band the collected shoes together into pairs?

We need this so the micro-entrepreneurs can easily sort through shoes. So that can happen, we have to process shoe bags quickly. That’s why it’s important to secure pairs are together and cannot separate.

If we need more collection material than what we’re originally given, what do we do?

All you have to do is contacted your Shoes With Heart fundraising coach. Your coach will make sure to place an order for more supplies.

What types of shoes does Shoes With Heart permit for collection?

We accept all types of gently worn, used and new shoes. We do not, however, accept single shoes. They must be in pairs. We seek to obtain shoes that are in the best condition possible for our micro-enterprise partners.

Can a single shoe be donated?

Shoes With Heart does not accept single shoes. Only pairs.

How many times will your logistics team come to us to collect shoes?

We guarantee that we will pick up the shoes you collect at the conclusion of your shoe drive fundraiser. If one of our Shoes With Heart drivers happens to be in your neighborhood, our logistics team will get in touch. Please be sure to secure storage to hold of your bags for the duration of the shoe drive plus 30 days.

When you do a fundraiser with Shoes With Heart, what are the benefits?

A Shoes With Heart shoe drive gives you three benefits: 1) You raise money in a fast and easy way, and your supporters get engaged without having to donate money; 2) Gently worn, used and new shoes collected during your shoe drive get consolidated with others and shipped to micro-entrepreneurs in 25 developing nations; and, 3) Shoes that are given to a shoe drive are prevented from ending up in landfills where they are harmful to the environment and health.

Who are the micro-entrepreneurs that partner with Shoes With Heart?

We work with small business owners, otherwise called micro-entrepreneurs, in 25 developing nations around the world. Systemic poverty often prevents families from job security and a living wage. The micro-entrepreneurs we work with have made the decision to begin and grow their own small business. They clean and sell the shoes collected in their communities.

What do I get for a Shoes With Heart shoe drive fundraiser and are there any upfront costs?

When you sign up, your Shoes With Heart fundraising coach will send you a Starter Kit. The kit contains 2500 rubber bands as well as 100-33 gallon bags. That’s enough collection material for 100 bags of gently worn, used and new shoes. You’ll also get online access to our shoe drive marketing and promotional materials and templates.
Those materials include door hangers, fliers, bag labels and a press release. Additionally, you’ll have a dedicated fundraising coach to work with you throughout your shoe drive campaign. Most important of all, you receive all of this without any out-of-pocket costs.

Are we able to choose a specific country or region where we want to ship our shoes overseas?

Unfortunately, that’s not possible. The shoes you collect are combined with those from others and are shipped overseas. At this time the shoes you collect are combined with others from other shoe drives and shipped to developing nations.

What happens if we need additional time that goes past our deadline for the goal?

You will have to contact your fundraising coach to sign a new agreement and begin another shoe drive fundraiser.

What happens when Shoes With Heart picks up the shoes? How can we prepare in advance?

When a pickup is scheduled between you and the Shoes With Heart logistics team, please have three volunteers to assist the driver with loading. We do everything to ensure a timely and efficient pickup process. However, our drivers can’t be held responsible for bad traffic and inclement weather. We encourage you to please provide a 30-minute window before and after the scheduled pickup time to allow the driver flexibility for things he or she cannot control. The Shoes With Heart driver will be in touch with you to confirm time of arrival.

Who may do a shoe drive?

Shoes With Heart works with partners such as churches, nonprofits schools, businesses and civic groups.
Individuals have also partnered with us to do shoe drives. Also, we’ve had many families who want to adopt do fundraisers with us to help pay adoption costs.

How can you fundraise with a shoe drive?

Shoes With Heart pays you for the gently worn, used and new shoes you collect as a shoe drive partner. That means your supporters do not have to give you money. Instead, the currency becomes shoes. The more shoes you collect, the larger the check you will receive from Shoes With Heart, since we pay you based on the total weight of the shoes.

When will Shoes With Heart issue us a check?

The shoes will be processed at our depot once they are received. Upon receipt of the shoes at the warehouse, it takes 2 business days to process and weigh the shoes. A check is issued within this time frame as well as a statement of reconciliation, which is then sent to you. If there are any pickups before the final campaign pickup, the same process is followed.

How quickly can I make money with a Shoes With Heart shoe drive?

There are various shoe drive fundraising options. You can earn money in only 30 days. A Shoes With Heart fundraising coach will help you determine the best drive for your fundraising goals.

What happens if we gather more shoes in our shoe drive than was our goal?

We would like to congratulate you! You’ll also be receiving a larger check from Shoes With Heart. Good job!

Are there out-of-pocket expenses in partnering with Shoes With Heart for a shoe drive fundraiser?

There are no upfront costs. As a matter of fact, you get a Shoes With Heart fundraising coach, the promotional and marketing material and the supplies you need for your first 100 bags, plus logistics support, with no out-of-pocket costs. However, if you do want to print any of our material, those would be your expenses.

What if we don’t gather the minimum amount of shoes?

Shoes With Heart will still pay you for all the gently worn, used and new shoes you collect. Always refer to your Fundraising Agreement.

After the shoes are picked up, what happens to them?

Shoes With Heart consolidates the shoes with those of sponsoring partners across North America. They are then shipped to 25 developing countries around the world. Many families live in poverty in these nations and are not able to obtain sustainable and good employment. Creating and developing their own micro-enterprises, permits heads of households to earn a living wage. Micro-entrepreneurs purchase the shoes for pennies on the dollar, often on credit, and clean the shoes. They then sell the shoes in their communities for a profit.

Is it possible for a shoe manufacturer or wholesaler to sell hash lots and store returns?

If this represents you, please feel free to call Tom Henderson, Chief Fundraising Strategist, at 407-930-2979 for more information.

We’re ready! How can we get started with Shoes With Heart or get more information?

All you have to do is give a Shoes With Heart fundraising coach a call at 407-930-2979. If you want a coach to call you, please fill out our contact form by clicking here.

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If I have additional questions, what do I do? We are a customer driven social enterprise and we value your time. We offer 24-48hr email support (asap@shoeswithheart.com) and phone support (1-407-930-2979) from our world headquarters to answer your immediate questions, monitored and backed by a live person. We pride ourselves on our representatives and on always answering the phone!